"Have someone review the contract" sounds simple, but a thorough contract review follows a fairly consistent process — one that's easy to skip steps on when you're doing it yourself under time pressure.
First pass: structure and completeness
Before diving into individual clauses, a first read checks whether the contract is internally consistent and complete — defined terms actually used consistently, no dangling cross-references, no obviously missing sections for a contract of this type.
Second pass: risk allocation clause by clause
This is where indemnification, liability caps, termination rights, and payment terms get scrutinized individually — identifying exactly what risk you're accepting and whether it's balanced against what the other side is accepting.
Redlining and comments, not just a verdict
A useful review doesn't just flag that a clause is risky — it proposes specific alternative language and explains, in plain terms, what the change accomplishes, so you can actually negotiate from an informed position rather than just knowing something feels off.
Final pass: does it match what was actually negotiated
The last step checks the document against the deal terms you believe were agreed to — surprisingly often, a contract drafted by the other side quietly shifts a term from what was discussed, and this is the pass that catches it before signature.